1. In the space below, describe the stasis at the beginning of Zoot Suit. In other words, “Where are we?” “When is it (time, day, and year)?” “Who are the people involved?” “What is the dramatic situation in which the characters find themselves as the play unfolds?” Zoot Suit takes place in the 1940s in Los Angeles. The political context that is occurring is the World War 2, and the subsequent xenophobia that Americans, namely white Americans, experienced towards minorities. The cast is Hispanic, and the play begins June 3, 1943. The main character in the play is Henry, a Mexican-American zoot-suiter, as well as his girlfriend, friends, brother, and police officers. The dramatic situation that occurs is the precursor to the Sleepy Lagoon murder trials. 2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play? The intrusion is when Henry as well as his friends are arrested and accused of a murder that they had not committed. 3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor which is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place? The unique factor that causes this turn of events is the fact that this play takes place during a xenophobic, nationalistic American era. Minorities and those no considered WASP were often harassed and mistreated as a result of their differences, because it threatened white communities.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrustion.) Will Henry get out of jail? Will Henry reconcile with his girlfriend? Will justice be served?
5. Use Henry to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, ie. The dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what the character wants (NOTE: In Wedding Band the wants of Julia are in flux. They change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles. Henry ultimately wants to live a hassle-free life. He is unable to because he is considered to be a threat to the American lifestyle; he faces adversity and discrimination nearly every turn that he takes due to his race and ethnicity. An immediate goal that Henry wants is to be acquitted of the charges brought against him. A challenge that Henry faces is that f me vs. society. Society has a presupposition of Henry and therefore considers him nothing more than a common criminal. He must fight against these stereotypes while at the same time staying tr to himself and not abdicating his culture and heritage. Me against fate is also present in the play as Henry ultimately cannot decide what his fate will be, for his acquittal and appeal is left up to the community; wherever he ends up will not be decided by him. 6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Zoot Suit. There are more than one. I would say that the most theatrical moments in the play are when Henry is arrested after the fight at the club, as well as the death of Pachuco, the fight with the sailors, and his appeal. These moments were crucial to the tone and the direction of the play, and allowed the audience to glimpse Henry’s character and his frustration at his standing in American society. 7. Provide at least three examples of images in Zoot Suit. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
Pachuco’s death and “resurrection”- illustrated Henry’s perseverance waning at a certain point in time, for the adversity was becoming too much to bear, as a result of wearing a “zoot suit”
Zoot Suit- the namesake of the play, it illustrates the tensions between America and its minority population. The suits became a symbol of anti patriotism
Henry and his friends at the stand- they had to stand every time each of their names were called because the jury could not distinguish one from the other. I believe that this was telling, andit illustrated the notion that they believe that all minorities looked alike.
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Zoot Suit. Cultural fidelity, xenophobia, pride, justice, discrimination
9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with the dramatic action in Zoot Suit? Family is the thread within the play. Henry’s family were crucial in maintaining his morale in the face of discrimination. Moreover, the relationship that Henry had with his friends were very much so brother-like, this closeness enabled them to seek solace in the other experiencing the same feeling that they were.
Zoot Suit takes place in the 1940s in Los Angeles. The political context that is occurring is the World War 2, and the subsequent xenophobia that Americans, namely white Americans, experienced towards minorities.
The cast is Hispanic, and the play begins June 3, 1943. The main character in the play is Henry, a Mexican-American zoot-suiter, as well as his girlfriend, friends, brother, and police officers. The dramatic situation that occurs is the precursor to the Sleepy Lagoon murder trials.
2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play?
The intrusion is when Henry as well as his friends are arrested and accused of a murder that they had not committed.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor which is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
The unique factor that causes this turn of events is the fact that this play takes place during a xenophobic, nationalistic American era. Minorities and those no considered WASP were often harassed and mistreated as a result of their differences, because it threatened white communities.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrustion.)
Will Henry get out of jail?
Will Henry reconcile with his girlfriend?
Will justice be served?
5. Use Henry to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, ie. The dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what the character wants (NOTE: In Wedding Band the wants of Julia are in flux. They change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles.
Henry ultimately wants to live a hassle-free life. He is unable to because he is considered to be a threat to the American lifestyle; he faces adversity and discrimination nearly every turn that he takes due to his race and ethnicity. An immediate goal that Henry wants is to be acquitted of the charges brought against him. A challenge that Henry faces is that f me vs. society. Society has a presupposition of Henry and therefore considers him nothing more than a common criminal. He must fight against these stereotypes while at the same time staying tr to himself and not abdicating his culture and heritage. Me against fate is also present in the play as Henry ultimately cannot decide what his fate will be, for his acquittal and appeal is left up to the community; wherever he ends up will not be decided by him.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Zoot Suit. There are more than one.
I would say that the most theatrical moments in the play are when Henry is arrested after the fight at the club, as well as the death of Pachuco, the fight with the sailors, and his appeal. These moments were crucial to the tone and the direction of the play, and allowed the audience to glimpse Henry’s character and his frustration at his standing in American society.
7. Provide at least three examples of images in Zoot Suit. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
- Pachuco’s death and “resurrection”- illustrated Henry’s perseverance waning at a certain point in time, for the adversity was becoming too much to bear, as a result of wearing a “zoot suit”
- Zoot Suit- the namesake of the play, it illustrates the tensions between America and its minority population. The suits became a symbol of anti patriotism
- Henry and his friends at the stand- they had to stand every time each of their names were called because the jury could not distinguish one from the other. I believe that this was telling, andit illustrated the notion that they believe that all minorities looked alike.
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Zoot Suit.Cultural fidelity, xenophobia, pride, justice, discrimination
9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with the dramatic action in Zoot Suit?
Family is the thread within the play. Henry’s family were crucial in maintaining his morale in the face of discrimination. Moreover, the relationship that Henry had with his friends were very much so brother-like, this closeness enabled them to seek solace in the other experiencing the same feeling that they were.